Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, the Chief of the General Staff of the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), hosted a dinner in honour of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The dinner featured local Ethiopian cuisine, including injera, a traditional pancake-like flatbread with a spongy texture.
This dinner followed official engagements held earlier in the day, after Gen Kainerugaba’s arrival in Addis Ababa on Saturday afternoon.
During the dinner, Gen Kainerugaba and Field Marshal Birhanu Jula engaged in cordial talks, strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between their respective militaries. The evening was also enriched by entertainment from local performers, adding to the warm and hospitable atmosphere.
As a gesture of friendship and appreciation for the visit, the host gifted Gen Kainerugaba and his delegation traditionally woven linen. In return, the Ugandan General presented gifts including Ugandan coffee and President Museveni’s autobiography, “Sowing the Mustard Seed,” which highlights Uganda’s struggle for democracy and the President’s life and times.
Gen Kainerugaba was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt Gen Sam Okiding, Lt Gen Sam Kavuma,Force Commander of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), and Brig Gen Anthony Lukwago Mbuusi, Sector One Contingent Commander under ATMIS. Other UPDF officers present included Col Fred Zakye, Uganda’s military attaché to Ethiopia, Col McDans Kamugira, the CDF’s military assistant, and Lt Col Richard Katungye, SFC’s director of medical services.
Gen Kainerugaba last visited Ethiopia in 2022 during his tenure as Commander Land Forces of the UPDF, while Field Marshal Jula was in Uganda in July this year. These high-level visits demonstrate the respective countries’ commitment and efforts to solidify their bilateral and military relationships.
